xp_logs | Doug and Forge

Backdated to the 3rd because I forgot to post it when we finished. Doug brings the new iPhone that Amanda mentioned fundraising for over to Forge for some "pimping".

Doug never stopped thinking that the quiet hydraulic noise of the basement doors sounded an awful lot like something off of Star Trek. And the Danger Room could certainly do double duty as the holodeck of the starship Enterprise. Forge wasn't much like Geordi LaForge, though, despite the similarity of name. As Doug wandered into the lab, he looked over to where Forge had his head hunched over whatever his latest project was. "Yo," he said to get the inventor's attention as he crossed to a somewhat weathered chessboard off on a lab bench off to one side. He pondered for a moment, then picked up a white piece and moved it. "Bishop to Queen's Knight 5," he announced.

"Knight to King's Bishop three," Forge responded without taking his eyes off the small chamber before him, cautiously manipulating a pair of tiny waldoes to move nearly-microscopic components around in the sterile environment. "You're trying Capablanca's opening. Save yourself the time, I beat the Professor on Wednesday and you know how much he loves Capablanca. It leaves the King's Rook open for any number of counter-gambits. Scott taught me how to beat it. How's Mark?"

It was true that much of the game of chess was in knowing the openings, and how to counter various opening gambits, and gain advantage through midgame exchanges with a view toward the endgame. And Forge had obviously recognized Doug's opening. The recognition sword could cut both ways, though. Time to shift gears, then. "Knight to King Three." With that settled, he turned from the board. "He's recovering. Emma's got him surrounded with universally attractive doctors and nurses, apparently. One of the many perks of being filthy rich, I guess."

"Knight to... wait, King three?" Forge stopped and carefully disengaged himself from his work. Setting his goggles down on the bench, he walked over to peruse the board. "Okay, that's a new one."

He paced around slowly, glancing at the checkered surface from multiple angles. "Good to hear. About Mark, I mean. I might not know him all that well, not like you guys, obviously, but... it's kind of a chilling reminder, you know? Lives we lead, things we do?"

He'd broken the pattern, and now Forge was actually having to think rather than replay his previous victory. That was good. "That it is," Doug agreed. "I'm just thankful we hadn't really even had time to process it before he got dumped back in our laps." It was almost enough to give an agnostic faith. "Anyways, that's kinda why I'm here, in a roundabout way. Incoming." He tossed a distinctive-looking black cardboard box in a lazy arc towards Forge. "His iPod got pretty trashed in the fight. One of the reasons we thought he was dead, actually, since it was found on a corpse. Anyways, we passed the hat around the office to get him something to replace it, and I figured I'd bring it to the most brilliant inventor I know to see about some, ah, 'after market' modifications."

Forge didn't even have to open the box, simply holding it in one hand and giving it only a perfunctory glance before closing his eyes. "Sixteen gig model, nice. Of course, it's simplicity to patch that up to a few terabytes with those fractal memory chips Kitty helped design. Case could probably use some enhanced shock protection, and given the likely, ah, 'off-the-warranty' use it's likely to get, some Tempest-quality EM shielding and voiceprint access."

Fingers twitching absently, Forge left the box on his bench, attention still focused on the chessboard. "It's like a big toolbox for him, isn't it?" he asked. "I've never actually seen his power in action, but I figure the more resources at hand, the more utility, right?"

Doug nodded. "No different than Lorna carrying around all those pounds of metal as part of her uniform, really." It was easy to look at Mark's iPod as a frivolous accessory, but it was an essential thing for him. Which was why it made sense to get him the best that money could buy, and then giving free rein to Forge to improve it further.

"I'll hook him up, then," Forge agreed. "Bishop takes Knight at Queen's Bishop Six. Check."